Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 Holy Baptism: Identifying with the death and resurrection of Christ

EXODUS 2:1-10
VS 10 b. "and she named him Moses and said Because I drew him out of water”
 
Baptism is a dominical sacrament of the church that physically admits and adopts an individual into the body of Christ, the Church. Mar Thoma church follows the infant baptism while many other denominations go with the adult baptism. Romans 6 :4 reads “we were buried therefore with Him through baptism unto death that like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the father, so we also might walk in the newness of life”’ Resurrection from the dead is the cornerstone of Christian doctrine and the power of Christianity. All Christians have by placing faith in Him been spiritually immersed into the person of Christ. That is united and identified with him. Gal 6: 27 says “you are all sons of God through faith in Jesus for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ “’ Since we are united by faith in Him as baptism symbolizes His death and burial become part of us and lead us into newness of life. If a man is Christ, he is a new creation. The old is gone and he acquires everything new. There is a new quality and character in our lives and a new principle in life. We are trying to turn away from an unrighteous life to a righteous one, from a sinful one to a sinless one. We are liberated from the influence of the devil, and we become children of God.

Here in today’s portion for devotion we see Moses’s mother constructing an arc of bulrushes to make the baby float in water close to where the Pharaoh's daughter was taking bath. She expresses the hope of the baby being saved from drowning and dying as well as her capabilities of nursing the baby if approached. She appoints his sister to watch in a hideout to see what is happening and then offers her help. Later we see Moses becoming the son of Pharaoh's daughter and getting qualified to enjoy all the special privileges of the palace. We the lost sheep likewise through baptism identify with the burial and resurrection of our Lord and get qualified to enjoy the privileges of eternity and heaven. To enter the waters of baptism is a fitting and intended symbol of God rescuing us from the waters of this evil and chaotic world.
 
Prayer
Lord, we thank you for dying on the cross and bore on you all our iniquities. We were like the sheep that have gone astray. Let us enjoy the newness of life as we dedicate our lives to you completely and wholeheartedly. Amen.

Thought of the day
May our lives today and rest our time in this world portray the deep commitments we have made and let your Holy Spirit give us strength to sustain us each day.
 
Dr. Thomas K. Jose
The Mar Thoma Church, Staten Island

Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

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